Like most parents, we greet each summer with a combination of excitement and trepidation. While we’re excited about all of the fun and new adventures awaiting us as a family, we’re always a little stressed about exactly how we’re going to balance our kids’ new, “fluid” schedules with our need to make a living. Add to the equation the fact that we’re self-employed and work out of our home and that stress level seems to jump a few notches higher.

Don’t get us wrong, we know that we’re lucky that we don’t have to worry about paying for daycare or finding a trustworthy high school or college student to schlep our kids around from eight to five, but it doesn’t mean our task is easy. In order for our kids to have an enjoyable, enriching summer and for us to continue to get our work done, meet deadlines and keep our clients happy, we have found that it is critical to go into summer with a clear, strategic plan.

While every summer—and honestly, every day—is a little different, here are a few of the things we have found that helps us get the most out of summer.

Our tips for enduring—and actually enjoying—summer

1. Create a schedule

When we say we go into summer with a clear plan, we mean it. Months before that last school bell ever rings, we’re hard at work scheduling out the months, weeks and days ahead. We don’t schedule each day down to the minute—after all, you have to leave yourself some flexibility and the freedom to be spontaneous, that’s what summer is all about—but we have found that not having a schedule isn’t good for anybody. The kids will spend the day on the couch staring at the iPad or playing video games—getting up to only tell us that they’re bored or need a snack, and we, well … we spend the day dealing with bored and hungry kids.

The best schedules we have come up with incorporate “play time,” “brain time” and “down time.” Throughout the day, we try to alternate been activities that will get them up and moving (shooting baskets, playing with the dog, swimming), activities that will make them exercise their brains (reading, doing workbooks, putting together Legos) and time to rest both their bodies and their brains (this is where the TV and video games come in). While this schedule keeps them active and entertained, it also gives us specific blocks of time to have meetings and get work done.

2. Get ‘em out of the house

Having everybody confined under the same roof day in and day out isn’t good for anybody—especially the kids. It’s summer, kids need to be out, meeting new people, getting exposed to new things and just having fun.

A big part of our scheduling process each year is finding camps and outside activities that provide our kids with a variety of experiences. The key we’ve found with this strategy is always opt for quality over quantity. Signing your kids up for numerous one- and two-hour activities just means you are going to spend your entire day in the car and your kids are never going to really feel fulfilled.

A nice three- to four-hour camp however, means you can drop them off and still have time to attend a meeting or just get some work done while the kids will have a chance to settle in and immerse themselves in the experience. Everybody wins.

3. Find suitable remote offices

When you do find yourself shuttling kids back and forth, keep an eye out for good makeshift workspaces. Recently, our kids decided to take up tennis and with their lessons only lasting hour, whoever ended up taking them had little choice but to set up camp. Luckily, we found a quiet upstairs room furnished with soft leather seats, tables and great wi-fi that overlooks the courts—allowing us to watch the kids while we actually get some quality work done. Places like this might not exist everywhere you find yourself this summer, but if you do a little snooping around, you just might surprise yourself.

4. Take advantage of a little outside help

Just as it’s not good for the kids to spend all day stuck inside, it’s also not good for them to spend all day stuck with you. You’re working, and let’s face it, you’re really not that fun.

If you’re lucky enough to have grandparents close by, schedule in some time for the kids to spend with them—chances are both the kids and the grandparents will welcome the idea with open arms. If you don’t live near family, look for an adult or an older kid who has some time on their hands, who you trust and who you think could provide a different perspective and enrich your kids’ lives (and hopefully their own in the process).

5. Be open with clients and other people you work with

While you always want to project an air of professionalism, trying to hide the fact that a) it’s summer b) you work from home and c) you have kids will probably backfire. Get distracted while you’re on the phone? Acknowledge it. Chances are the person on the other line will empathize with you and respect the fact that you are juggling multiple duties and still getting the job done.

Just do good work—and get it done on time—and nobody will care. They’ll only start to care if and when your lifestyle affects them.

6. Remember why you’re working from home in the first place

This seems so easy, but it is probably the thing we struggle with the most. While there are several reasons we ventured into self-employment, one of the biggest was the opportunity to be more involved in the day-to-day lives of our kids. Being at home during the summer is the biggest gift we could have ever asked for yet sometimes we have to remind ourselves to step away from the computer and just go and have some fun.

When we talked about developing a schedule, it’s important to remember that it’s not just for the kids. Schedule in pockets of time throughout your day to just spend some time with them. The blessing and the curse of working from home is that your work is always there. Instead of just pushing through, set it aside and make it up after the kids have gone to bed.

Before you know it, your kids will be back to school and your daily interactions with them will revolve around the breakfast and dinner table, so make the most of the time you have now.

We hope this gives those of you who find yourself working from home this summer a few ideas on how you can not only survive but make it a summer to remember. That said, if you have any ideas for us, we’re all ears.